When and how to image a suspected broken rib.

Radiographic confirmation of rib fracture is often clinically irrelevant in patients who appear to have no complications or associated injuries. However, it is essential in a number of cases, especially when the clinical presentation and history raise suspicion of complications such as organ damage, or if the patient has other risk factors or conditions for which the precise information would help in management decisions. The authors discuss when to order imaging and which imaging test to order.